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Archives of Nethys

Archives of Nethys

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There is a Legacy version here.

PFS StandardPhistophilus (Contract Devil)

Contract devils are clerks, scribes, and bureaucrats of Hell rarely found outside the infernal courts, and then almost always to pursue potential contracts, tempting mortals to sell their souls in exchange for achieving their worldly desires. If a target is desirable enough, a phistophilus can offer contracts for prices seemingly lesser than their soul all at once, though in this case, the devil carefully manipulates the price to drive the signatory toward the forces of Hell anyway. Contract devils are tall creatures with skin tones that range from bronze to crimson and large curving horns extending from their bodies, over which they often drape favored or important contracts.

Recall Knowledge - Fiend (Religion): DC 27
Unspecific Lore: DC 25
Specific Lore: DC 22

Elite | Normal | Weak
Proficiency without Level

Changes from being Weak are marked in red below.
NOTE: The -2 damage penalty to non-strike offensive abilities (-4 if the ability is limited, such as spells) is NOT factored in.

Weak PhistophilusCreature 9

Medium Devil Fiend Unholy 
Source Monster Core pg. 90
Perception +21; greater darkvision
Languages Aklo, Chthonian, Common, Diabolic, Draconic, Empyrean, Sakvroth; telepathy 100 feet, truespeech
Skills Arcana +17, Deception +21, Diplomacy +19, Intimidation +19, Legal Lore +23, Religion +17, Society +17, Stealth +16
Str +3, Dex +4, Con +4, Int +7, Wis +5, Cha +5
AC 28; Fort +16, Ref +16, Will +21; +1 status to all saves vs. magic
HP 130; Immunities fire, ward contract; Resistances physical 10 (except silver), poison 10; Weaknesses holy 10
Ward Contract A signed contract carried by a living contract devil (including draped over their horns) is immune to damage from all creatures other than that contract devil. A contract devil is immune to mental effects that would make them destroy, nullify, or alter a contract.
Speed 25 feet
Melee [one-action] binding contract +21 [+17/+13] (agile, disarm, magical, reach 10 feet, trip, unholy), Damage 3d6-2+11 slashing plus Grab and infernal woundMelee [one-action] horn +19 [+14/+9] (magical), Damage 3d10-2+11 piercing plus infernal woundDivine Innate Spells DC 29 (-4 dmg); 10th scrying (at will; see infernal investment); 7th interplanar teleport; 5th fireball, illusory scene, lightning bolt, locate (at will), mind probe, sending (at will), translocate; 4th peaceful bubble, silence, translocate (at will); 3rd mind reading (at will); Cantrips (7th) detect magic; Constant (5th) truespeech
Rituals DC 29 (-4 dmg); 1st diabolic pact
Draft Contract [three-actions] (divine, manipulate) The contract devil produces an infernal contract for a single living mortal. This contract can grant a wide range of abilities and effects, akin to the power of a wish ritual but fulfilled to the letter by the contract devil. To receive any of those benefits, the mortal must willingly sign its true name to the contract. At that point, the mortal's soul is bound to the contract devil and Hell.

While the contract is in effect, the victim can't be restored to life except by wish or similar magic. If the mortal is restored to life by those means, the contract devil knows which mortal came to life and can locate the creature or creatures who restored the mortal to life for 1 year, gaining the effects of a locate spell with unlimited range. Avoiding the terms of an infernal contract is difficult and often dangerous.Infernal Investment A contract devil can cast a 10th-rank innate scrying spell at will, but only to target a creature with which they have a contract. The target automatically critically fails its save.Infernal Wound (divine) The wounds from a contract devil's Strikes resist healing. A spellcaster or item attempting to use healing magic on a creature suffering first attempts to counteract infernal wound (DC 27). If it is not counteracted, the healing has no effect.

Sidebar - Additional Lore Infernal Contracts

The diabolic contracts created by contract devils are not the only ways a devil can engage a mortal in a binding agreement, but they are the most convenient. Other devils must perform complex rituals or jump through bureaucratic hoops to organize a contract with a mortal, and in most cases the easiest solution for devils in this situation is to simply enlist the aid of a contract devil

All Monsters in "Devil"

NameLevel
Coarti (Messenger Devil)7
Cornugon (Horned Devil)16
Deimavigga (Apostate Devil)17
Erinys (Fury Devil)8
Ferrugon (Rust Devil)12
Gelugon (Ice Devil)13
Gylou (Handmaiden Devil)14
Hamatula (Barbed Devil)11
Hellbound Attorney4
Imp1
Levaloch (Warmonger Devil)7
Munagola (Executioner Devil)11
Nessari (Tyrant Devil)20
Ort (Drudge Devil)0
Osyluth (Bone Devil)9
Phistophilus (Contract Devil)10
Sarglagon (Drowning Devil)8
Uniila (Cabal Devil)10
Vordine (Infantry Devil)5
Zebub (Accuser Devil)3

Devil

Source Monster Core pg. 86
Masters of corruption and architects of conquest, devils seek both to tempt mortal life to join in their pursuit of all things profane and to spread tyranny throughout all worlds. The temptations they offer mortals range from great powers granted by the signing of an infernal contract to twisted favors following a whispered pledge to a diabolic patron, or any number of even subtler exchanges. Those who succumb to these temptations find themselves consigned to an afterlife of endless torment in the pits of Hell, wherein the only hope of escape lies in the chance of being promoted to become a devil in the infernal ranks.

Every devil has a specific role to play in the upkeep of the remorseless bureaucratic machine that is Hell, from soldiers and scholars to inquisitors, lawyers, judges, and executioners. Lowly orts perform subservient labor to more powerful and specialized devils, such as infantry and contract devils, while the greatest nessaris command entire infernal armies.

Asmodeus stands at the apex of the structure he created, but the layers below him are marked by a constant jockeying for position. Most diabolic plans ultimately serve to improve the schemer's place in the hierarchy.

Sidebar - Additional Lore Archdevils

Eight archdevils rule the eight upper layers of Hell, while the deepest layer is ruled by Asmodeus. Barbatos is the doorwarden of Hell's uppermost layer, while Dispater rules Hell's largest city. Mammon guards Hell's treasuries, and Belial designs new weapons for Hell's legions. Geryon is the oldest archdevil and keeper of many secrets, while Moloch leads Hell's armies. Baalzebul is a brooding archdevil who has fallen from Asmodeus's favor, while Mephistopheles was formed from the plane of Hell itself

Sidebar - Additional Lore Diabolic Divinities

Numerous unique and powerful devils hold positions of power in Hell. The most numerous of these are the infernal dukes, many of whom were promoted to this position from already impressive statures as nessaris. The supreme ruler of Hell itself is Asmodeus, the Prince of Darkness. Between these two tiers rule the eight archdevils.

Sidebar - Locations Diabolic Locations

The nine layers of Hell are the planar home of all devils, and they much prefer its tyrannically ordered environs to anywhere else in the multiverse. Yet devils can be encountered anywhere mortals can be tempted by infernal bargains or to seek diabolic aid. On Golarion, the nation of Cheliax is particularly aligned with Hell. Its government is based upon Hell's organization, and the state church is that of Asmodeus.

Sidebar - Related Creatures Fiendish Relations

Devils view daemons' constant hunt for souls as a short-sighted waste of potential, and demons' selfish destruction of society and flesh as uncivilized and obnoxious, but they do not loathe their fiendish counterparts. Indeed, most devils are more than willing to take advantage of daemons and demons as they can to further their own machinations.

Sidebar - Additional Lore Fire and Ice

The classic depiction of Hell is of a burning wasteland of magma and volcanoes, a searing landscape rife with the screaming souls of the damned. Yet those who have visited Hell know the awful truth—for its torments do not cease at eternal burning. Some regions of Hell are perpetually frozen reaches of razor-sharp ice and flesh-scouring wind, while others are miasmic swamps filled with poison and disease. Hell does not limit its torturous toolbox merely to the fires for which it is so well known!

Sidebar - Related Creatures Other Devils

The devils presented on these pages are a small sampling of the torments Hell has to offer. Other devils, like the mechanical warmonger devils, the cherub-faced and fly-bodied accuser devils, and the executioner devils beholden to the Queens of Night are but a few examples of these widespread immortal creatures.